Climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of global warming are a fact. A large portion of industries contribute to these emissions, some more than others, and likewise, some are affected more than others. Tourism is both.

‘Eco,’ ‘green,’ ‘environmentally-friendly’ and ‘sustainable’: many of us look for terms like these when we travel because they fit with our values and signal that we’re making responsible decisions. But what do you do when a business labels itself ecotourism yet its practices fly in the face of environmental sustainability?

Australia’s greatest natural wonder, the Great Barrier Reef, has suffered the worst mass coral bleaching event in its history. The impacts are serious, but recent underwater surveys show that parts of the world’s ‘largest living thing’ are resilient, giving hope for the recovery of affected areas. And the tourism industry, with an enormous stake in the health of the Great Barrier Reef, can help shape its future.